New Delhi (NVI): The Ministry of Health approved the proposal of AYUSH Day Care Therapy Center facility for all Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) beneficiaries as well as pensioners.
According to an official statement, “Private Day Care Therapy centers of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy will be empanelled under Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) shortly, in a manner similar to empanelment of Day Care Therapy Centers of conventional (Allopathy) medicine already provided by CGHS.”
All CGHS beneficiaries, serving as well as pensioners will be able to avail the benefit of these centres, it added.
This step has been taken by the Ministry, keeping in view of the growing popularity of AYUSH system of medicines amongst the public at large and all CGHS beneficiaries.
However, the initial empanelment of Day Care Therapy Centres will be undertaken on pilot basis for Delhi-NCR for a period of one year and subsequently would be considered for other places.
Under this scheme, the treatment procedure requiring a short duration of stay in the Day Care Therapy Centre, ranging from a few hours to less than a day will be made available to CGHS beneficiaries, the statement said.
The aim of the scheme is to improve the health and wellbeing, reduce health care expenditure and provide excellence in service delivery, efficiency, and comfort to the patients.
As the treatment procedure does not require overnight stay in the unfamiliar environment, it is extremely convenient for children and elderly patients, the statement said, adding that, “This is yet another important step of government to extend the benefit of AYUSH system of medicine.”
At present, the treatment of approved procedures like Panchkarma and Abhyanga etc. is given only after hospitalization in CGHS empanelment hospitals. This involves additional cost to CGHS as indoor room charges, which are separately paid by CGHS apart from the procedure cost.
These day care centers will not only reduce the cost of hospitalisation but will also add to patient’s convenience.
Furthermore, AYUSH Day care Centre includes Community Health Centre (CHC), Primary Health centre (PHC), Dispensary, Clinic, Polyclinic or any such centre which is registered with the local authorities.
These centres should be applicable and have facilities for carrying out treatment procedures and medical or surgical/Para surgical interventions or both under the supervision of registered AYUSH Medical Practitioners on day care basis without in-patients services, the statement noted.
-RJV
